>>> HELLO, AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON "CHICAGO TONIGHT".

TONIGHT IS THE LATEST IN OUR SERIES .

EVERY MONDAY FROM JULY TO AUGUST WE ARE DEDICATING OUR ENTIRE PROGRAM TO COMMUNITY SAFETY.

YOU CAN FIND MORE AT WT TW.COM.

WE ARE DIVING INTO GANGS, BUT THEY LOOK LIKE, INSIGHT INTO CHICAGO CRIME AND VIOLENCE, AS WELL.

THE ACTING U.S. ATTORNEY FOR THE CHICAGO AREA'S FEDERAL EFFORTS TODAY.

>> EVERY BLOCK IS A BLOCK THAT YOU LIVE ON.

>> AND HOW INTERPERSONAL CONFLICTS CAN AFFECT COMMUNITY MEMBERS, ALL THAT, AND MORE.

>>> MADE POSSIBLE IN PART ALEXANDRA AND JOHN NICHOLS.

THE POPE BROTHERS FOUNDATION.

AND, THE SUPPORT OF THESE DONORS.

"CHICAGO TONIGHT"'S COVERAGE OF PUBLIC SAFETY FOR REDUCING VIOLENCE.

>> STREET OUTREACH WORKERS ARE ON THE FRONTLINE OF GANG ISSUES , WORKING ROUND-THE-CLOCK TO MEDIATE CONFLICT BEFORE IT ESCALATES.

>> AUSTIN SEVERS SOME OF THE HIGHEST RATES OF VIOLENCE , WITH POVERTY AND DISINVESTMENT IN THE COMMUNITY AND MANY ORGANIZATIONS HAVE ATTEMPTED TO STOP THE VIOLENCE BEFORE IT STARTS.

THE KEY IS A GENUINE CONNECTION AND FOR MANY OF THE WORKERS HERE, THE CONNECTION IS PERSONAL.

CAN YOU UNLESS KNOW THE STREETS OF JOHNSON -- AUSTIN , WELL.

THEY'VE LIVED IN THE COMMUNITY THEIR ENTIRE LIVES AND BOTH SAY THAT THEY HAVE RUN WITH THE RUN -- WRONG CROWDS AND HAVE BEEN SHOT.

>> I REALIZED THAT WHAT I CAN DO IN LIFE IS VERY IMPORTANT.

>> HARDING WENT TO WORK AS A STREET OUTREACH COORDINATOR FOR NONVIOLENT CHICAGO, A NETWORK OF NONPROFIT .

THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE METROPOLITAN PEACE INITIATIVE , CENTERING AROUND STREET OUTREACH FOR MANY WHO HAVE VIOLENT BACKGROUNDS, THEMSELVES.

>> IT'S INCREDIBLE.

THEY HAVE THE RELATIONSHIPS, THEY HAVE THE INFLUENCE, BECAUSE THEY LIVE THAT LIFE.

>> THE WORK BEGINS BY REACHING OUT TO YOUNG PEOPLE , WHO ARE SOME OF THE LARGEST PERPETRATORS OF GUN VIOLENCE, AND GIVING THEM GUIDANCE.

>> WE WANT THEM TO FEEL LIKE WE CARE ABOUT THEM.

EVEN IF IT'S NOT AN INCIDENT, WE ARE STILL BUILDING THAT RELATIONSHIP.

>> MANY THAT THEY WORK WITH HAVE HIDDEN TRAUMA, VICTIMS OF GUN VIOLENCE CARRYING AROUND ANGER AND ANXIETY THAT THEY MAY NOT BE AWARE OF.

>> IT IS NORMALIZED AS NORMAL, BUT IT'S NOT NORMAL.

YOU JUST GOT SHOT , AND WHEN YOU GO BACK TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THEY PAT YOU ON THE BACK.

THAT IS SOMETHING WHERE WE HAVE TO MASK OUR FEELINGS, WE HAVE TO DELIVER TO A WHOLE ANOTHER STANDARD.

YOU HAVE TO SAY YOU ARE ALL RIGHT BUT EMOTIONALLY AND PSYCHOLOGICALLY, IT'S NOT OKAY.

>> AND, THE GENERAL DISTRUST OF ONE ANOTHER WHERE A PERSON MAY BE WEARING CLOSE THE WRONG WAY OR SIMPLY WALKING DOWN THE WRONG BLOCK.

>> YOU ARE JUST A FACE THAT THEY DON'T KNOW , YOU COULD BE DANGEROUS.

THEY ARE GOING TO WATCH YOU.

THEY ARE GOING TO BE ALERT ABOUT YOU.

ANY WRONG MOVEMENT COULD GET YOU HURT.

>> HOW DO YOU RECOGNIZE THAT?

>> EVERY BLOCK IS THE WRONG BLOCK IF IT'S NOT THE BLOCK YOU LIVE ON.

IT COULD END UP FROM SOMETHING DOMESTIC, SOMETHING PETTY, SOMETHING IN A NIGHTCLUB , IT COULD START ON FACEBOOK, SOCIAL MEDIA.

>> THAT IS WHEN MEDIATORS COME IN BEFORE IT ESCALATES.

THEY START BY LISTENING WITHOUT JUDGING.

>> IT'S A CONVERSATION WITH A LOT OF THESE YOUNG BROTHERS AND SISTERS, AND YOU HAVE TO BE READY.

>> AND THAT IS JUST THE FIRST STEP.

THERE ARE MENTORING, MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, ATTEMPTS TO KEEP YOUTH ON THE PATH OF OPPORTUNITY .

WE KNOW THAT THE SPECTER OF GANGS AND VIOLENCE RATTLES.

>> THANK YOU.

>>> AS WE JUST SAW , INTERRUPTING THE CYCLE OF GANG VIOLENCE IS ANTIVIOLENCE PROGRAMMING.

BRANDON JOHNSON HAS GETTING KICKBACKS WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS ALSO PROVIDED FUNDING THIS YEAR FOR ANTIVIOLENCE PROGRAMS FOR THOSE WHO ARE AT HIGH RISK OF BEING SHOT, WITH MEDIATORS AND PEACEKEEPERS .

HERE TO DISCUSS VIOLENCE PREVENTION IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE LEADERSHIP ACADEMY , ALSO A FORMERLY INCARCERATED CHICAGO GANG MEMBER.

WE ALSO HAVE THE COFOUNDER OF THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE FOR THE FORMERLY INCARCERATED.

WE HAVE THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF INTERRUPTERS AND INCREASE THE PIECE PAY GENTLEMEN, YOU ARE ALL EXPERTS AND WHAT IT IS WE ARE HERE TO TALK ABOUT.

AS YOU MENTIONED , ANTIVIOLENCE PROGRAMS GET MONEY FROM PHILANTHROPY.

CAN YOU TELL US WHY THIS MOVEMENT IS GETTING MORE ATTENTION?

>> GUN VIOLENCE IS AN EPIDEMIC.

THERE ARE A LOT OF NARRATIVES ABOUT ANTI-VIOLENCE.

WE HAVE PROVEN MODELS AND TODAY WE WORK WITH 155 HIGH RISK INDIVIDUALS.

35% GET ENROLLED BACK INTO SCHOOL , SO THE MOVEMENT IS GAINING A LOT OF MOMENTUM.

>>'S IN QUESTION TO YOU .

>> THE MAIN REASON IS THAT THE VIOLENCE IS IMPACTING THE ECONOMY AND ANOTHER REASON IS THE LARGE AMOUNT OF MASS SHOOTINGS .

THAT'S AN IMPACT THAT WE COULD NEVER HAVE IMAGINED PRIOR AND WITH THE SITUATION WITH THE UPRISINGS SINCE GEORGE FLOYD , IN THIS PARTICULAR SPACE , THESE ARE SOME OF THE HEROES THAT REALLY STOPPED THE PANDEMIC.

THAT IS WHERE GOVERNMENTS AND INSTITUTIONS SAW THE VALUE , TRYING TO ADD CONNECTIONS TO THAT HARD-TO-REACH POPULATION .

>> SO WHAT EVIDENCE DO YOU HAVE THAT THIS IS WORKING?

>> WE'VE SEEN THE PEOPLE THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO TAKE OFF THE STREETS AND GET INTO THEIR OWN PROGRAMS .

I ALSO HAVE FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE .

A LOT OF THE REASONS I JOINED A GANG IS BECAUSE I WAS RAISED BY SINGLE MOTHER ON THE SOUTH SIDE AND I HAD LIMITED OPPORTUNITIES.

WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE .

WE HAVE TO CREATE THOSE SAFE SPACES TO BUILD THOSE RELATIONSHIPS AND LEARN SKILLS, BE PART OF THE SOLUTION.

WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO TRANSFORM LIVES.

>> AS YOU MENTIONED, YOU WERE ONCE GANG MEMBERS AND YOU ARE TAKING A DIFFERENT PATH, NOW.

WHAT ABOUT GANG MEMBERS WHO HAVE ONCE BEEN INCARCERATED?

>> IT DEPENDS ON THE INDIVIDUAL.

YOU HAVE TO MAKE THE TIME SERVE YOU, VERSUS SERVING TIME.

I GOT TO MAKE THAT CHANGE IN PRISON.

IT LOOKS THE SAME ON THE STREET AS IT DOES IN PRISON.

I HAVE GOALS, AND I KNEW I WANTED TO GET OUT.

I LET THEM KNOW IT'S A NEW DAY.

GET A JOB, GET IN SCHOOL AND THEN THEY HEAR, I'M DOING THIS.

IF YOU PUT YOURSELF BACK IN THAT ENVIRONMENT, YOU ARE GOING TO GET SHOT, LIKE I TELL YOU ALL.

YOU CAN'T GET KILLED.

YOU HAVE TO ASK YOURSELF, CAN YOU GET KILLED BY HANGING OUT WITH CERTAIN PEOPLE?

YOU HAVE TO MINIMIZE THE POSSIBILITY OF GETTING ARRESTED AND YOU HAVE TO BECOME DRUG-FREE.

THAT HAS AN IMPACT, IT MODELS YOUR BRAIN.

YOU HAVE TO GET EDUCATED , AND COMING FROM A GUY LIKE ME, EDUCATED BACK IN 1967 , RIGHT?

>> IT'S HARD TO MAKE THAT CHANGE LATER DOWN THE ROAD, BUT HOW ESSENTIAL IS THAT FIRSTHAND KNOWLEDGE WHEN YOU MAKE THAT CONNECTION IN THIS TYPE OF WORK?

>> THE CONNECTION HAS BEEN GROWING.

IT'S A RECOGNITION, ULTIMATELY, THAT YOU ARE PART OF THE SOLUTION.

WE ALL START THIS RECOGNITION THAT YOUNG PEOPLE , NEED OPPORTUNITIES AND I MADE IT CLEAR THAT SOMEONE GAVE ME AN OPPORTUNITY.

IN OUR PROGRAMS, WE SEE COMING DAY IN AND DAY OUT, YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE ABLE TO TRANSFORM THEIR LIVES BECAUSE THEY GOT THE RIGHT OPPORTUNITY AT THE RIGHT TIME.

IT HAS AN EXPONENTIAL EFFECT ON THE COMMUNITY.

WE ARE INSTRUCTING 30 OTHER YOUNG PEOPLE.

>> SAME QUESTION TO YOU, DOES THAT FORM EXPERIENCE HELP YOU CONNECT?

>> FOR ONE, I UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY ARE COMING FROM.

I AM ABLE TO SHOW THEM A PATHWAY AS I TRAVEL THE SAME ROAD.

IF YOU WANTED TO GO INTO A JUNGLE WITH THAT PARTICULAR MIND-SET , HOW MANY PEOPLE DO YOU KNOW THAT RUN TOWARD VIOLENCE AND THEY SEE IT HAPPENING?

WHETHER IT'S AN AREA, A PREDICAMENT, OR AN ENVIRONMENT ?

YOU CAN SEE PEOPLE BEING ASSERTIVE WITH INDIVIDUALS IN THAT LIFESTYLE.

WITH THE RESPECT, WHAT GIVES ME CREDIBILITY , IS I HAVE THE LIVED EXPERIENCE , BUT IT'S ABOUT THE DECISIONS THAT I'VE MADE SINCE THEN .

SOME OF MY BIGGEST CHAMPIONS ARE PEOPLE STILL IN VIOLENCE BECAUSE I REPRESENT HOPE TO THEM.

>> I IMAGINE IT SOUNDS LIKE DANGEROUS AND DEMANDING WORK , BECAUSE YOU CAN GET A CALL AT ANY TIME .

DOES THAT MAKE THAT EVEN MORE CHALLENGING ?

>> WHEN THE PERSON HAS GOT SOME INSECURITIES , THAT'S A STRUGGLE.

YOU LOOK AND YOU START ESTABLISHING THAT VISION , WITH GUYS LIKE US THAT HAS BEEN DOWN THAT ROAD , OUR CREDIBILITY COMES BECAUSE I WAS ONCE ON DEATH ROW.

I'VE SHOWN THAT THERE'S A WAY OUT , BUT IT'S GOT TO COME FROM THE INDIVIDUAL.

>> WE ARE ALMOST OUT OF TIME , HOW DO YOU PROFESSIONALIZE THESE WORKERS?

>> IT'S ABOUT STREET CREDIBILITY TO BE LIFE-CHANGING ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT CHICAGO.

ALL OF THE WORK THAT WE PUT IN IS BASED ON KNOWING THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY .

I GREW UP AROUND THESE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF VIOLENCE AND I HAVE UNIVERSAL ACCESS DID IT'S ABOUT BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS, OKAY?

>> THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE TO LEAVE IT.

ALL OF YOU, THANK YOU.

>>> NEXT, FEDERAL EFFORT TO ADDRESS GANG VIOLENCE IN CHICAGO.

♪ ♪ >>> THE U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IN ILLINOIS HAS PLAYED AN ACTIVE ROLE INTERACTING WITH GANGS IN CHICAGO.

JUST LAST WEEK , A STREET GANG THAT USE VIOLENCE TO PROTECT ITS DRUG DEALING OPERATIONS FACES 50 YEARS.

WE WILL TALK ABOUT THE ROLE THAT THE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE PLAYS IN REDUCING VIOLENCE IN THE NORTHERN DISTRICTS OF ILLINOIS.

>> THANK YOU.

>> WHAT IS THE ISSUE , WHY HAS IT BEEN SUCH A TOUGH NUT TO CRACK FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT?

>> THAT'S FOR A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT REASONS.

WE HAVE THE VIOLENCE THAT HAS INCREASED IN MORE RECENT YEARS , THERE ARE SEVERAL DIFFERENT CAUSES FOR THAT .

THE VAST MAJORITY OF HOMICIDES ARE RELATED TO GUNS , AND THAT IS BECAUSE GUNS ARE AVAILABLE IN CHICAGO.

YOU HAVE VARIOUS THEFTS, UNLAWFUL PURCHASE .

GUNS HAVE SPIKED MURDER AND VIOLENCE ISSUES SO I THINK THAT PLAYS A LOT INTO IT.

THE GANG MEMBERS ARE QUITE LOCAL , POSTING ABOUT THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND IT'S TRUE, THINGS MIGHT BE SETTLED BY FISTICUFFS, BUT NOW AN ARGUMENT ON SOCIAL MEDIA MIGHT ESCALATE AND NOW YOU HAVE GONE RETALIATION.

>> SAYS SOMETHING TAKEN FROM SOCIAL MEDIA WITH A GUN ALONG WITH IT.

WHAT ABOUT THE IN-STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS?

WHAT DOES THAT ENTAIL?

>> WE WORK CLOSELY TOGETHER .

THE CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS 12,000 POLICE OFFICERS.

WE CAN'T REPLICATE THAT BUT WHAT WE CAN DO IS WE CAN BRING ADDED RESOURCES , ADDED MONEY, ADDED EXPERTISE , ADDED EFFORT .

IF THE LAST 20 YEARS HAS SHOWN ANYTHING, IT CAN'T BE JUST LOCAL AND CAN'T BE JUST STATE.

US WORKING TOGETHER WITH CPD , FBI, DEA, IT IS A COMBINED APPROACH.

ONLY THEN CAN WE BE SUCCESSFUL.

>> YOU MENTIONED THE PROLIFERATION OF GUNS IN THE CITY AND WE TALKED ABOUT THAT BEING A CENTRAL PROBLEM OF VIOLENCE.

WHAT MORE CAN BE DONE TO CRACK DOWN ON DRUG TRAFFICKING AND PREVENTING DRUG -- GUNS FROM ENTERING THE CITY?

>> IT IS SUCH A DEEPLY SEATED PROBLEM.

YES, THERE ARE A LOT OF GUNS BEING TRAFFICKED FROM OTHER STATES THAT HAVE LESS RESTRICTIVE GUN LAWS, BUT A LOT OF THOSE GUNS ARE STOLEN, HERE.

EITHER LAWFULLY OR UNLAWFULLY PURCHASED, WE HAVE A GUN TRAFFICKING STRIKEFORCE.

WE ARE TRYING TO EMPLOY THAT IN NEIGHBORING STATES TO CURB THE INFLUX , WE HAVE UNDERCOVER OPERATIONS , AND OTHER TOOLS TO CHARGE PEOPLE FOUND IN ILLEGAL POSSESSION OF GUNS.

IT IS A HUGE PROBLEM.

>> WE HAVE MENTIONED SOME OF THESE CHICAGO STREET GANGS , AND FACTIONS OF LARGER GANGS THAT HAVE USED VIOLENCE AND MURDER.

WHAT IMPACT DO PROSECUTIONS LIKE THAT HAVE?

>> NUMBER ONE, WE ARE PUTTING BEHIND BARS IN MANY CASES, PEOPLE WHO HAVE COMMITTED MULTIPLE ACTS OF MURDER.

WE HAVE MURDERS AND 19 ATTEMPTED MURDERS PROVED AT TRIAL AND FOUND PEOPLE COMPLICIT IN MULTIPLE MURDERS.

THAT SHOWS THE URBAN TRACK RECORD AND SOCIETY'S ROLE, AND THE PROTECTION OF PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY .

I THINK THAT REACHING OUT TO THE FEDERAL -- PEOPLE, THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS INVOLVED, COMPLETELY , PUTTING IN RACKETEERING STATUTES, CARJACKING STATUTES, PROSECUTIONS LIKE THAT ARE IMPORTANT .

>> DO PROSECUTIONS LIKE THAT SEVERELY UNDERCUT PARTICULAR GANGS FROM FUNCTIONING?

>> WITH ONE PROSECUTION, WE TOOK OUT ALL THE KEY MEMBERS OF THAT SET UP , BUT GANGS AREN'T PARTICULARLY PRODIGIOUS AND IN THAT CASE I WOULD LIKE TO THINK THAT WE TOOK OUT SOME OF THE KEY COMPONENTS AND IT HAS AN EFFECT OF REDUCING THE CYCLE OF VIOLENCE.

>> DO YOU EXPECT TO SEE ANY MAJOR CHANGE IN STRATEGY WITH A CHANGE IN LEADERSHIP?

>> I CAN'T SPEAK FOR APRIL, BUT I DO KNOWS THAT SHE IS A LONG TIME MEMBER OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND SHE WILL CONTINUE THE PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE HAD IN PLACE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.

THAT ULTIMATELY WILL BE HER GOAL.

>> WHENEVER THAT DOES BECOME THAT CASE, SONNY PASCUAL, ACTING DISTRICT ATTORNEY, THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>>> WE ARE BACK TO WRAP THINGS UP RIGHT AFTER THIS.

>>> THAT IS OUR SHOW BID WE WILL SEE YOU AGAIN NEXT MONDAY AND BE SURE TO SUPPORT OUR ONGOING COVERAGE ONLINE AND SIGN UP FOR OUR DAILY BRIEFING.

YOU CAN SEE "CHICAGO TONIGHT" STREAMED ONLINE, AND VIA PODCAST.

>>> UPCOMING, IS ILLINOIS BECOMING THE NEWEST TORNADO ALLEY?

>>> AND, PROTECTING WORKERS IN ILLINOIS.

FOR "CHICAGO TONIGHT", THANK YOU FOR JOINING US, STAY HEALTHY AND SAFE.

>>> CLOSED CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY ROBERT A CLIFFORD AND ROBERT CLIFFORD LAW OFFICES .